Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders 86 (Sullivan 19, Couisnard 18, Anderson 14)
Newcastle Eagles 75 (Defoe 32, Flournoy 10, Matthew 8, Madourie 8)
BBL Championship winners Jelson Homes claimed a 86-75 home victory over runners-up Newcastle Eagles on Sunday evening.
The win means that Riders finish the BBL Championship season unbeaten at home and also secures them a season sweep against the Eagles for the first time since the 1993/94 season. They finish the BBL Championship season with 60 points, 10 clear of the second place Eagles.
The Eagles started the game as the stronger side, with Kareem Maddox scoring only his second 3-pointer of the season to put them ahead 13-9 early on. Jorge Calvo’s trey and Jamell Anderson’s putback dunk started Riders on a 9-0 run that put them in front, 18-13 after Jay Couisnard’s dunk.
They extended that lead out to seven points in the second quarter but the Eagles hit back, Fab Flournoy assisting on all 7 points in a 7-0 run that tied the game up at 34-34.
Drew Sullivan scored 5 points and assisted on 2 more baskets in an 11-2 run by the Riders to finish the half, taking a 49-40 lead into half-time.
Late in the third quarter, after Darius Defoe and Eddie Matthew both sank a pair of free throws for the Eagles to make it 61-57, Drew Sullivan scored 8 points, including 2 3-point efforts, in a 11-0 run by Riders that saw them finish the quarter ahead 72-57.
Despite some good defence in the final stanza, Eagles couldn’t cut into that lead, allowing the Riders to secure a 30th win of the season 86-75.
The Riders were led by Drew Sullivan with 19 points and 10 rebounds, supported by Jay Couisnard’s 18 points and 5 rebounds and Jamell Anderson’s 14 points and 6 rebounds. Eagles’ Darius Defoe led all scorers with 32 points, making 63% of his shots, in addition to 9 rebounds. He was assisted by Fab Flournoy’s 10 points and 9 assists as well as Joel Madourie’s 11 boards and 8 points.
